What could the Pope do, as one person asked?
Many, many things:
He should immediately remove from the clergy all bishops who are known to be corrupt and abusers. There are about twenty, starting with Mr. Sanchez of Santa Fe (he of girlfriends A, B, C, D, E…).
He should immediately remove from the cardinalate, and probably from the clergy, all Cardinals who have known about the abuse of children and let it go on. We should have Mr. Law and Mr. Mahony.
He should order all dioceses and religious orders to publish the names of all known abusers and to open their archives to researchers.
He should admit the failures of his predecessors, at least of Paul VI and John Paul II, who were informed of the abuse and refused to act against it.
He should halt the processes for their canonization. Those Popes failed, and children were raped and committed suicide.
He should discuss the sources of his own blindness for so many years. I have documents with his signature on them: he knew about some of the worst cases, such as El Paso. Did he really have no idea of what had occurred in the cases he handled?
He should take up world-wide collection for the victims of abuse and sell a few items from the Vatican to pay into this fund.
If Benedict does at least this, perhaps bishops through to the world will know he is serious and then and only then will they stop their clergy from abusing young people. Until then, it is all hot air, and his comments will be ignored as so much PR.
Wow! Imagine the conversion and renewal that could bring. Though I’m moved at the thought, and wish it would happen, I doubt anything of this sort will be done. However, I can always hope, if not Benedict, than a succesor. Yet how many will be lost in the meanwhile?
Right on!
In addition, as money controls, churchgoers should not give to any collection.
The designation “Father” s houl d be reserved to our biological fathers. Over the centuries it has been usurped by the clergy and hierarchs.
Stop calling clergymen as father so and so.
Ed MEnaunt
I couldn’t agree with you more but in reality I can never see it happening. As a victim in L.A. I would love to see Mahony resign in shame like he should.
To expect this pope to do anything remotely honorable regarding this scandal when it was he who knew the most about children being raped and did nothing but tell everyone to keep it a secret, is magical thinking. These Irish bishops were following his orders, just like Cardinals Law, Levada and Mahony and the rest of them.
These are the same men who have written and overseen the Liturgy of the Mass. Doesn’t that bother anyone? Pedophile clergy are made liturgical scholars. The introduction of evil (child raping priests and their enabler bishops,etc) into the holy sacrifice of the Mass creates an alchemy all its own, an evil circling the globe. It is not only children and vulnerable adults that these men should be kept from, they should not be allowed on altars presiding over religious ritual.
AW
Pope Ratzinger should stop talking to bishops and start talking with Victims. OR IS HE AFRAID?
I would agree it’s almost inconceivable that the pope would act honorably. But you gotta love what Germany is doing. Finally a federal government is calling the church to task. Somehow I don’t think Germany’s gonna back off. They’ve become a rather honorable country. What a matchup. The German pope and the German government. This whole movement is taking off now and Germany’s gonna school all the rest of us on how to regard our children. I hope so anyway. The future is bright for the survivors of this holocaust. Take heart. The recent Irish skirmish was the darkness before the dawn. “Yes, thank God, while hearts are beating, each man bears the burning wound, we will follow in their footsteps at the rising of the Moon.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q_xacXFwq0&feature=PlayList&p=E87996E53A3B4F42&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16
The Roman Catholic Church is a church of words and Deeds that are dispicable. The deeds ; spiritually murdering precious children since the begininng of it’s inception, the middle of the 1st century when St. Paul warned of the outside influences that were coming against Christ’s Word. He warned of any gospel other than what Christ preached would be “Anathema” . It happend. Some people wished to have their ears tickled and listened to this false gospel and there you have the RCC. Jesus never taught the things that they teach. Jesus would never sit in a walled city wearing the robes of the hierarchy. Jesus is appaled with all that the RCC does. The sexual abuse of children being the most hideous. The money and the ascending to the throne and all that goes with it, is to most normal un-brainwashed people, an unpspeakable lie that they try to say is ok and Christ would approve. He doesn’t and would never claim what these evil people claim to be, Christ here on earth. It’s so pathectically illogical that most people would never buy the lie..I say get out while you still have your soul in tact.
He’s too busy being ecumenical (in ways which would have given Pius XI nightmares) to care about souls. Don’t you know? Everyone is going to heaven no matter what.
I’m too old to “take heart.” That’s only for those who haven’t been on this arduous road for a long time. There’s only so much of this one can take. And nothing has changed.
What never ceases to amaze me, though, is the absolute apathy and stupidity of those in the pews. They deserve the Church they have.
i agree with glorybe..
catholics need to convert to Jesus christ if they want to claim to be a follower and stop kissing up to the pope and his mob of corrupted false teachers..
am looking at those who stay in that institution as the deceived..
am actually sick of people who talk about the church changing or who even waste time and energy thinking that this cult is anything more than a sex, money power cult..
it has nothing to do with christ’s love
can you tell i left the rcc (yes it is possible and even easy once one turns to jesus christ)
Grace, when you look at the history of Christianity, what was there except “this cult” for 1500 years? The Church of the early centuries was centered around the celebration of the eucharist, led by bishops, and without any agreed upon New Testament (it took almost 400 years to sort out and reach a consensus on which writings from the apostolic era were inspired) and hence reliant on a “tradition” of teaching handed on from one generation to the next. This is historic fact. However, it’s also true that the bishops were elected and always in serious danger of being put to death. Hence, there weren’t a lot of careerists. I’m afraid this is the only Church we’ve got. The attempts to set up something else have failed miserably. How many Protestant denominations are there?2300? All claimimg to be based on the Word of God! Does God want us to baptise infants or no? Does He allow us to go to war or no? Can we loose our salvation or no? These are big questions and I know Evangelicals on all sides who are all sincere in believing their particular interpretation is correct.. Pretty confusing, how do they know they’re right and the other Bible believing Christians down the street are not? I’d love to leave the Church at times. I’d love to be an Orthodox (I am too attracted to the sacraments to be Evangelical though I love their preaching). I get sick to death of the hierarchy and the stupidity in Catholicism…but in the light of truth I can’t see that Christ left an alternative. We’ve got to stay and shout and fight like hell to make this Church what it should be.
Father Michael, I suggest that the Catholic Church today bears little (if any) resemblance to the church that emerged for the first two centuries after Pentecost. The fundamental turning point, I believe, is adopting the Roman imperial model of governance after the Roman Empire fell. How else does one explain, for example, ambitious Renaissance men seeking the Papacy in the same way that ambitious Romans sought the emperor’s throne?
That model has served not only Catholicism poorly (to say the least) but its variations have served Protestantism poorly, as well (Luther’s support of the German princes against the peasants, Calvin’s rule in Geneva, Cromwell’s in England, Henry VIII proclaiming himself head of the English church). Those variations might not resemble the imperial model exactly, but they *do* reflect the linkage between church establishment and government patronage that has dominated — and, ultimately, ruined — European Christianity.
Neither has that model served the Orthodox, especially in Russia. The Russian patriarchs have for *centuries* relied on patronage from the Tsarists, then the Communists, and now the Putin-ists.
One more thing, Father Michael
The *only* thing keeping Catholicism from fragmenting into traditionalist and modernist denominations is the enforced “unity” from Rome. Take that away and, really, what would you have left?
Thanks for the good feedback Joseph. Man, you’ve got quite a knowledge of history! You have obviously given this a lot of thought. My Menonite friends (we have a lot of modern Mennonites in our area who do great work in the inner city of the industrial town where I live) hold a view similar to yours regarding “Cross and Crown” and trace the “True Church” through people (of whatever and every denomination) truly committed to Christ, and to transformation in Him.
I hear you with regards to the Orthodox, especially the Russians. A part of our extended family is Greek. It seems the Turkish occupation had a purifying effect in many ways on the Greek Church. Still, for many or most Greeks, it’s a cultural religion. My relatives however are conscious committed believers.
Christians who have impressed me the most in terms of giving my faith in Christ support, and models to immitate are; folks involved with AA and other 12 Step Groups, people working with L’Arche, the Catholic Worker Movement (I knew a couple in this who gave away their fortune of millions), many Mennonites, Egyptian Copts and Iraqi Chaldeans and Assyrians. In Charismatic Renewal I’ve met some wonderful believers, both Protestant and Catholic.
Though I hear you and respect your knowledge and conviction, as well as that of others with similar views, I still feel that I’ve got to cling to the Church as I believe it’s the only one we’ve got. And I do love being a priest , especially celebrating the Eucharist and preaching. I’m good with young people (with whom I’m never alone – keep everything transparent) and am thus sick over the way some brother priests have exploited and ruined so many.
Father Michael, thank you for your kind words and understanding, though we may disagree. I wish some people on other “Catholic” blogs (Mark Shea, are you reading this?) had the grace and understanding that you have.
The Catholic Church IS the ONLY Church – it IS the one, true Church. If the Church is a sham- the others aren’t even worth glancing at.
You know, it’s funny. The abuse and corruption is so bad that people think it means the Church is not Christ’s Church. So it becomes just another assembly or institution, with good and evil to be expected in everything, and nothing to rely on except one’s private relationship with God. But then, if that’s what the Church becomes, just a “church” on sale alongside other churches and religions, take your pick, and not the bearer of Christ’s words and deeds, guess what? The corruption then ceases to be so evil. Granted, the abuse of persons remains as evil, but most people don’t really pay attention to that, as so many people are engaged in it in their private lives. And, of course, if all you have to rely on is your personal relationship with God and what you think is right, we are in a situation where the abuse can be justified. What people get riled about is the coverup, the hypocrisy, the corruption. But who cares about corruption, if it is just another political institution? We should expect corruption, if the Church is not divine but only human. We should not only expect it, we should expect it everywhere in almost everything. If the teaching and works (sacramental presence) of Christ are not in the Church, then what is the big deal?! Sure! Go leave and find another one, and then trade it in and get another. Can you see what I am getting at? The outrage that we must have is diluted and muted, the moral absolutes are gone, and all is fair game. There is a reason that the devil has concentrated his end game right square at the Catholic Church.
Short version: We are right to be outraged about abuse of persons, and the abuse of holy things to protect the abuse of persons. But if there is no absolute truth, and nothing holy, and the person is defined by himself or herself and what he wants, and all is subjective (which is where other Christian assemblies have gone), then there is no abuse and no righteous outrage.
Which is why it is so painful to be a Catholic now….we carry the cross Christ carried when he was abused by his own high priest and officials of his own faith.
Jane, the Catholic Church would be nothing without Christ — and if its leaders effectively deny Christ because of their refusal to obey Him, then what good is the Church?
Your attitude, Jane, reminds me of the attitude of those first-century Jews who questioned Christ in John 8 (“Our father is Abraham”) or who came to John the Baptist and received rebuke (“Do not say, ‘We are children of Abraham! I tell you, God can raise children of Abraham from these very stones!”). They had an arrogance that justified their complacency. So many Catholics have that same attitude; in their case, it manifests itself as defensiveness against any *legitimate* criticism (as opposed to stupid rants from angry non-Catholics). I know one fellow, Rod Dreher, whom on-line Catholics pilloried mercilessly because he told the truth!
Remember, Jane, that judgement first comes to the House of God — especially if that house claims to contain “the fullness of the Gospel.”
Yes, well, thanks ever so Joseph for sharing that with me. Where you got that impression beats me. I know that the Church is utterly corrupt from top to bottom. And I also know that it is the Church established by Jesus Christ for our salvation.
Why should I listen to Joseph D’Hippolito if the Church couldn’t get it right for two thousand years?
As I have already said, I also believe that the Catholic Church is the only one we have been given ( Arch-Bishop Lefevre, no “liberal”, said in his Letter to Confused Catholics, non-Catholics can be saved IN their religion but not BY their religion). This makes the present situation all the more terrible.
However, I come across many lay people who know their faith, have an intense spirtual life, and really appear headed for sanctity. I have seen this here, in Ireland, and believe it or not, in Holland. Are they the majority of Catholics? Of coursed not. But there are enough of them to help me remember God is with and in His Church.
Jane, I directly quoted Scripture. Why should some Catholics be immune from the attitudes that pervaded others centuries ago? Merely by being a member of a paricular group? Human nature is human nature, regardless of time.
Besides, Jane, the Church doesn’t save. No church saves. Faith doesn’t save. Faith and works combined don’t save. Christ saves. Without redemptive atonement through his blood, humanity would still face universal divine condemnation for sin. Without his resurrection, humanity would still face the ultimate, permanent death (Yes, people die — I lost my beloved mother four months ago to an aggressive cancer — but Christ’s resurrection ensures that those who believe in him will live again).
I know the Church believes all these things, technically speaking. But it does an extremely poor job of communicating them to the masses in the pews — and, unfortunately, enough of its priests and leaders have forgotten those fundamentals in the first place. They have been forsaken for political power, prestige, wealth and infatuation with intellectual fashion.
Jane, if the Catholic Church was established by Christ (to the exclusion of all others), then it has a unique responsibility and burden, just like the Old Testament Israelites did. God formed his covenant with the Israelites so that they would be his oracle to the world. When they disobeyed him, God allowed the Assyrians and Babylonians to take them out of the homeland that he gave to be captive exiles for 70 years.
Jane, if Christ directly founded the Catholic Church, do you not think his Father will scourge it if it disobeys him? Do you not think he will chasten it for abusing the innocent and lying about it? God is not mocked, Jane. True religion has far less to do with liturgy and ritual — and much more to do with doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with God, as the prophet Micah said.
The Archbishop still has the gall to ask for money every year | Crowhill Weblog
[…] of reform, Mr. Podles offers some good suggestions. As you read that list, ask yourself what possible justification there is for not doing them and […]
These are great suggestions.
Here is the hard question Catholics need to ask themselves.
What kind of a mindset does it take to reject these ideas? How hard does your heart need to be to prefer the current system to this kind of reform?
Now — spend some time imagining that person — and once you have him vividly in mind, realize that such a person is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Peter Béliath » Blog Archive » Hvad må paven gøre for at standse sexovergrebene?
[…] oprulning af sexskandalerne i den katolske kirke. Den 19. februar offentliggjorde Podles således ”My Advice to the Pope”. I indlægget giver Podles paven en række råd – ikke om, hvordan paven skal standse den […]